1 Samuel - 23
1 - Then they told David - , saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
2 - Therefore David - enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David - , Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
3 - And David - 's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah - : how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
4 - Then David - enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
5 - So David - and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David - saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
6 - And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David - to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7 - And it was told Saul - that David - was come to Keilah. And Saul - said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.
8 - And Saul - called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David - and his men.
9 - And David - knew that Saul - secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
10 - Then said David - , O LORD God of Israel - , thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul - seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
11 - Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul - come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel - , I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.
12 - Then said David - , Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul - ? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.
13 - Then David - and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul - that David - was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.
14 - And David - abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul - sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
15 - And David - saw that Saul - was come out to seek his life: and David - was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
16 - And Jonathan Saul - 's son arose, and went to David - into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
17 - And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul - my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel - , and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul - my father knoweth.
18 - And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David - abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
19 - Then came up the Ziphites to Saul - to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David - hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
20 - Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.
21 - And Saul - said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.
22 - Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.
23 - See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah - .
24 - And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul - : but David - and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.
25 - Saul - also and his men went to seek him. And they told David - : wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul - heard that, he pursued after David - in the wilderness of Maon.
26 - And Saul - went on this side of the mountain, and David - and his men on that side of the mountain: and David - made haste to get away for fear of Saul - ; for Saul - and his men compassed David - and his men round about to take them.
27 - But there came a messenger unto Saul - , saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.
28 - Wherefore Saul - returned from pursuing after David - , and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.
29 - And David - went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.
